Auto-adjusting harness connector for shoulder straps of golf bag

ABSTRACT

An auto-adjusting harness connector for shoulder straps of a golf bag has a base and multiple buckles mounted slidably and pivotally on the base. The golf bag has four strap mounts and four straps. Each strap has two ends respectively connected to a corresponding strap mount and a corresponding buckle. The straps and buckles slide and pivot independently to automatically adjust a distance therebetween according to shoulder breadth of a person carrying the golf bag and strap breadths of the golf bag. Therefore, the straps of the golf bag are suitable for people with different shoulder breadths for improved comfort while carrying and convenience while removing and with reduced cost of manufacture and storage.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an auto-adjusting harness connector for shoulder straps of a golf bag, especially to an auto-adjusting harness connector for easy adjustment to people with different shoulder breadths and to golf bags with different strap breadths.

2. Description of the Prior Art

A golf bag has two strap mounts and a single shoulder strap assembly to allow carrying the golf bag on one shoulder or a dual shoulder strap assembly to allow carrying the golf bag on both shoulders. The dual shoulder strap assembly has a connector and four straps. Each strap is connected to a corresponding strap mount of the golf bag and has two ends connected respectively to the strap mount and the connector. With reference to FIG. 9, a conventional connector (40) for a golf bag comprises a base (41) and multiple buckles (42). Each buckle (42) has a pivoting end (421) mounted pivotally on the base (41) and a connecting end (422) connecting with an end of a corresponding shoulder strap (50) of a golf bag.

However, since the buckles (42) are fixed in specific positions of the base (41) and only pivot relative to the base (41), the shoulder straps (50) of the golf bag that are connected to each other through the conventional connector (40) are not suitable for people with different shoulder breadths and may pinch broad shouldered people and not rest on narrow shouldered people. The golf bags with the conventional connector (40) are not only uncomfortable while carrying, but also inconvenient while removing from the people. Furthermore, while different types of golf bags have different strap breadths, positions of the buckles (42) on the base (41) should be designed for individual types of golf bags to allow comfortable carrying of the golf bags. Especially when bags are sold to men and women, different connectors (40) must be manufactured and sold, so raising distribution, storage and sales costs.

To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides an auto-adjusting harness connector for shoulder straps of a golf bag to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The main objective of the present invention is to provide an auto-adjusting harness connector for shoulder straps of a golf bag.

The auto-adjusting harness connector has a base and multiple buckles mounted slidably and pivotally on the base.

The golf bag has four strap mounts and four straps. Each strap has two ends respectively connected to a corresponding strap mount and a corresponding buckle. The straps and buckles automatically and independently slide and pivot according to a shoulder breadth of a person carrying the golf bag and strap breadths of the golf bag. Therefore, the straps of the golf bag are suitable for people with different shoulder breadths for improved comfort while carrying and convenience while removing and with reduced cost of manufacture and storage.

Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an auto-adjusting harness connector for shoulder straps of a golf bag in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the auto-adjusting harness connector in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional side view of the auto-adjusting harness connector in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional side view of another embodiment of an auto-adjusting harness connector for a golf bag in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 5 is an operational perspective view of the auto-adjusting harness connector in FIG. 1 connected to a golf bag;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged operational front view of the auto-adjusting harness connector in FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is an operational perspective view of the auto-adjusting harness connector in FIG. 4, shown worn by a person with broader shoulders;

FIG. 8 is another operational perspective view of the auto-adjusting harness connector in FIG. 4, shown worn by a person with narrower shoulders; and

FIG. 9 is an enlarged operational front view of a conventional harness connector for shoulder straps of a golf bag in accordance with the prior art.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to FIG. 1, an auto-adjusting harness connector for shoulder straps of a golf bag in accordance with the present invention comprises a base (10) and multiple buckles (20).

With further reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, the base (10) may be a disc, may be metal and has a perimeter wall, multiple slots (11), an inner surface (12) and multiple guiding grooves (13). The slots (11) are formed in the perimeter wall of the base (10). Each slot (11) may be an arc. The inner surface (12) of the base (10) is defined in the slots (11). The guiding grooves (13) are formed in the inner surface (12) of the base (10), may be formed through the inner surface (12) of the base (10) and respectively correspond to the slots (11). Each guiding groove (13) may be an arc.

With further reference to FIG. 2, each buckle (20) has an inner end, an outer end, an optional through hole (21), an optional strap hole (22), and an optional inner edge (23) and a guiding protrusion (24).

The inner end of the buckle (20) is mounted in one of the slots (11) of the base (10). The through hole (21) is formed through the inner end of the buckle (20).

The strap hole (22) is formed through the outer end of the buckle (20). The inner edge (23) is defined around the through hole (21) of the buckle (20). The guiding protrusion (24) may be circular, is attached to the inner end of the buckle (20), slidably and pivotally engages a corresponding one of the guiding grooves (13) of the base (10), may be a resilient button and may have a tapered stop (241) and an optional boss (242). The tapered stop (241) protrudes from the inner edge (23) of the buckle (20), is mounted in the through hole (21) of the buckle (20), tapers toward the inner end of the buckle (20) and engages the corresponding guiding groove (13). The boss (242) is formed on and protrudes from the tapered stop (241), correspond to the outer end of the buckle (20) and abuts the inner surface of the base (10).

With further reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, a golf bag (30) comprises four strap mounts (32) and four straps (33). Each strap (33) has two ends. One end of the strap (33) is connected to a corresponding strap mount (32). The other end of the strap (33) is connected to a corresponding buckle (20), may be adjustably disposed through the strap hole (22) of the corresponding buckle (20).

With further reference to FIGS. 7 and 8, the auto-adjusting harness connector for shoulder straps of a golf bag as described has the following advantages. When a broader shouldered person carries the golf bag (30), connected straps (33) and buckles (20) slide and pivot toward opposite directions to allow relative positions of the straps (33) to be suitable for the broader shouldered person. In contrast, when a narrower shouldered person carries the golf bag (30), the connected straps (33) and buckles (20) slide and pivot toward each other to allow relative positions of the straps (33) to be suitable for the narrower shouldered person. Moreover, no matter how wide the straps (33) of the golf bag (30) are, the straps (33) as well as the buckles (20) automatically adjust theirs positions according to whom carrying the golf bag (30). Therefore, the straps (33) of the golf bag (30) connected by the auto-adjusting harness connector are suitable for people with different shoulder breadths to allow comfortable carrying and convenient removing of the golf bag (30).

Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and features of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only. Changes may be made in the details, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed. 

1. An auto-adjusting harness connector comprising: a base having a perimeter wall; multiple slots formed in the perimeter wall of the base; an inner surface defined in the slots; and multiple guiding grooves formed in the inner surface of the base and respectively corresponding to the slots; and multiple buckles, and each buckle having an inner end mounted in one of the slots of the base; and an outer end; and a guiding protrusion attached to the inner end of the buckle and slidably and pivotally engaging a corresponding one of the guiding grooves of the base.
 2. The auto-adjusting harness connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the guiding grooves of the base are formed through the inner surface of the base.
 3. The auto-adjusting harness connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the guiding protrusion of each buckle is a resilient button.
 4. The auto-adjusting harness connector as claimed in claim 2, wherein the guiding protrusion of each buckle is a resilient button.
 5. The auto-adjusting harness connector as claimed in claim 3, wherein the guiding protrusion of each buckle further has a tapered stop protruding from the inner edge of the buckle, mounted in the through hole of the buckle, tapering toward the inner end of the buckle and engaging the corresponding guiding groove.
 6. The auto-adjusting harness connector as claimed in claim 4, wherein the guiding protrusion of each buckle further has a tapered stop protruding from the inner edge of the buckle, mounted in the through hole of the buckle, tapering toward the inner end of the buckle and engaging the corresponding guiding groove.
 7. The auto-adjusting harness connector as claimed in claim 5, wherein the guiding protrusion of each buckle further has a boss formed on and protruding from the tapered stop corresponding to the outer end of the buckle and abutting the inner surface of the base.
 8. The auto-adjusting harness connector as claimed in claim 6, wherein the guiding protrusion of each buckle further has a boss formed on and protruding from the tapered stop corresponding to the outer end of the buckle and abutting the inner surface of the base.
 9. The auto-adjusting harness connector as claimed in claim 8, wherein each slot and each guiding groove is an arc.
 10. The auto-adjusting harness connector as claimed in claim 8, wherein each buckle further has a strap hole formed through the outer end of the buckle. 